Device for measuring signal frequencies



Dec. 20, 1 49 H. H. @MM 2,491, 94

DEVICE FOR MEASURING SIGNAL FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. 28, 1945 4 She'ets-Sheet 1 F' I G 2 0/4 L I AJJM8 Y I k M 1 sou/v0 2 REPRODUCEI? AUDIO /25\ 5 LOG/1L MIXER AMPL/F/ER OSCILLATOR a j 15 VISUAL A) IND/GA TOR /.F. s aoMPawm/a c y5 74L AMPLIFIER 1 6410A? #01? OSC/LL A 70/? f F i G. l INVENTOR HENRY H. GR/MM ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1949 H. H. GRIMM 2,491,494

DEVICE FOR MEASURING SIGNAL FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. 28, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7'0 CAPACITOR IN LOCAL OSCILLATOR 4 FIG. 3

INVENT-OR HENRY u aw/MM ATTORNEY Dec. 20,1949

H. H. GRIMM 2,491,494

DEVICE FOR MEASURING SIGNAL FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. 28, 1945 DIAL HUNDREDS lllllllllll" 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 5

DIA FUNDAMENTAL SECOND THIRD FOUR 7' HF? FIG. 4 INVENTOR HENRY H. GR/MM A TTORNE Y Dec. 20, 1949 H. H. GRIMM DEVICE FOR MEASURING SIGNAL FREQUENCIES no E i QEMBQWQK M W W Y E N R 0 T T A Patented Dec. 20, 1949 DEVICE FOR MEASURING SIGNAL FREQUENCIES Henry H. Grimm, Dayton, Ohio Application August 28, 1945, Serial No. 613,195

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 4 Claims.

1 The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, Without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a radio signal frequency measuring device and more particularly to a means and a method for determining the frequency of an intercepted unknown radio signal using a heterodyne frequency meter.

Conventional practice in making frequency measurements with heterodyne frequency meters has, led to errors which arise out of mistaking a harmonic of a locally generated reference signal for the fundamental of such signal or another harmonic thereof. Inexperienced personnel are frequently confused in attempting to distinguish between the various bands including the individual harmonics and fundamental of the local signal with the result that frequency measurements may be in error by several hundred percent.

An object of this invention is to eliminate errors of the foregoing character by providin an improved frequency measuring device the operation of which requires that certain steps be performed to insure that the correct frequency reading is obtained.

A further object is to enable the determination of harmonic number to be performed mechanically without the use of mathematics.

Another object is to provide a method of making frequency measurements that involves following easily understood instructions regarding the use of a frequency meter and a table of calibrated values that are adjuncts of the present invention.

These and other objects will be apparent to those who are informed in the field of radio signal frequency determinations, as the description of the invention progresses.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the overall circuit of a device that comprises an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

' Fig. 2 is a plan view of a frequency indicating dial assembly portion of the device, the circuit of which is shown in Fig. 1, mounted upon an instrument panel, a fragment of Which is shown, within an aeroplane or the like;

; Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an illustrative fragmentary portion of predetermined calibration values on a table that is used in connection with the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of frequency indicating dial assembly or the device, the

.2 circuit of which is shown in Fig. 1, mounted upon the instrument panel, a fragment of which is shown, within an aeroplane or the like; and

Fig. 6 is a graphical presentation of a fundamental and a plurality of harmonics thereof in terms of the frequencies plotted against the dial turns readings.

The circuit shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings comprises a signal intercepting antenna I that preferably is removably connected through a switch 2 to a. mixer stage 3 to which a local oscillator 4 feeds its output. The local. oscillator i is tuned by a variable capacitor (not shown) geared to the dial assembly l4 that is shown in Fig. 2. The tuning of the local oscillator 4 is compensated for temperature by a tuning capacitor 5, that serves as a trimmer condenser to adjust the local oscillator frequency to correspond to a dial reading. A crystal oscillator 6 is connected to the mixer 3 through a switch 1 so that the output of the crystal oscillator B may be fed into the mixer stage 3 and may be used for checking calibration of the equipment.

The output of the mixer stage3 is fed selectively through a single-pole double-throw amplifier switch 8 into either an audio amplifier stage 9 or an intermediate-frequency amplifier stage It). The output of the audio amplifier stage 9 is applied to a visual indicator stage I I and, releasably through a switch [2, to a sound reproducer l3. The intermediate-frequency amplifier stage ll] feeds its output to the visual indicator stage II which preferably is a vacuum tube voltmeter type of indicator. The designated visual indicator stage II is preferred because it responds to beat note frequencies in both the video and in the intermediate-frequency ranges.

Dial elements of the contemplated device are mounted within an instrument panel IS, a fragmentary portion of which is shown, with the dial elements of the device mounted therein, in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The dial element that is designated as Dial units in the drawing, and that is shown in plan view in Fig. 2 and in section in Fig. 3, is of a usual form and its general assembly is shown herein for clarity of explanation, it being understood that other types of dial assembly may be substituted therefor without departing from the scope of the present invention. The dial element that is designated'Dial hundreds is associated with the Dial units element and indicates the number of complete rotations of an indicator disc 20 element thereof. A container, not shown, for housing the components of the circuit shown in Fig. 1 is mounted upon the rear side of and is supported by the panel [9.

The dial assembly that is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is used to tune the local oscillator that is shown in Fig. 1 and in determining the frequenc of an unknown signal that has been intercepted by the antenna il. The dial e'lemenit, th'atis sihownin Figs. 2 "and '3 "as "beingmounted upon the instrument panel 19, comprises a rotatable indicator disc which is spun by causing a pivoted knob 2|, attached thereto through a mount 22,:to @describe a circular course in a plane that is parallel to the disc 20. The mount 22 is ttached by a plurality of screws 23 to another mount?! that is journaled in an aperture in ithelinstrumentpanel l9 and that provides a mounting for a shaft which is fixed against rotation with respectto the mount 24 by means Giza. set .screw .26. The shaft 25 connects through gearing "to =capacitor means, not shown, that serves for tuning the 10- .cal oscillator .4. The indicator .disc .20 .is disposed Joetweenthe mountslZZ and.Zitandlisalsoimmovably attached to the mount'Zt Joya plurality .of screws 21 with a circularlockingdiscl80f greater .diameterlthantheindicator disci2llinterlposedbetween the .mount '24 and the indicator disc 20.

A movable transparent runner armtothat has a referenceorrunner hairline l8 .extendinglongitudinally.midway'loetweenlthelateral. edgesthere- .of is disposed.betweenlthemount .22 and .the disc A rowan airictionclutch spring 3.! disposedtherebetween .so zthat the runner arm .39 :normally :moves .with the disc 120,01 can be moved with. re- .spect thereto when the disc 2|] is .locked against rotation.

The dics'20 .is.lockejd.against rotation by turn- 1ing allo.ck ing.screw {3'2 that. is rotatably .J' Ournaled ;iniaefixedjndicatorring 33 disposed radiall outwardly of the .disc'20, this disclbeingimmovably secured -:to the outer facelof theuinstrument panel 19 many desired manner. The locking screw 32 is threaded into a non-rotatable lockingblock34 so'that the rotation .of the-locking screw32in the clockwise direction, as viewedIinLFig. 2,draws the locking-block 34 'toward 'the head of thelocking screw32 to clamp the'periphenal edge o'flthelocking disc :28 "between 'the block! andthe under- 5face of'the'immovablaring .3i3andltherby prevent the rotation .of the disc 2.0,.and so that the rotation of the locking screw "3.2 in the opposite or counterclockwise direction releases the .disc 20 from its locked position. 'The indicator disc '20 is inscribed along its upper face adjacent its peripheral edge with one hundred equally spaced subdivisions. The ring3'3 has. ten or moreequ ally spaced subdivisionsjinscribed thereon and preferablyisprovided with a Vernier segmentfi35. The subdivisions on the ring33-normal1y register with the norresponding subdivisions on the disc 20. Each revolution of thefdisc'20 causes an associated recording mechanism or turns "indicator'36, that is "designated as Dial hundreds in Fig. '2 'of the drawings to 'move one division past. a hairline 31 that extends transversely across a transparent windowpart'thereof.

Fig eillustrates a portion ofa calibration sheet til indicating predetermined frequency values based upon the calibrations-of the dial shown in Fig. 2. The combined -'readings taken irom the scales-"on the dial members 20, '33-'and3 5 and the Vernier- 35 an-dappliedto thecalibration=sheet- Will be'descr-ibe'd in more detaillater in the spe'ci- 'fication.

. In the calibrationof -thedevice, the crystal osradiator-i6zisrusedasa frequencystand-ard. iswitch 4 I is closed and the dials 20 and 36 are set at the chart equivalent of the crystal freqency. The tuning capacitor 5 is adjusted to zero beat in the visual indicator II or sound reproducer [3. The switch I is then opened.

In the operation of the device, the antenna l Iis .cou-pled to the mixer 3 by closing the mixer switch! and the audio'amplifier switch 8 is set to apply the output from the mixer 3 to the audio amplifier stage 9. The sound reprod-ucer switch I 2;is:then closed so that the output from the audio amplifier stage 9 is applied to the sound reproducer 13 as .Well as to the visual indicator I l The audio amplifier stage 9 functions as a beat-frequency detector when so connected, if the fre- .itenna I .isfed into thecircuitandis presented at :both thesound reproducer l.3.=and.a't the visual indicatorl i. In. order .to determine the frequency of a carrier or of a signalinltheradio energyjthat visinterceptedby thereceiving antenna I, .disc 20 is rotated-until abeatnolte is observed upon the visualindicator stage I I.

In the event thata beat note is observed upon the visual indication stage 'H thesuppositionfollows-that the output of the mixer'3 resultingirom ,the beating of the oscillator 4 against the .un- .known frequencyof the radio. energy intercepted by the receiving antenna I, is .within the audio frequencyrange and thezdetermination of the ac- .ltual.-signa1.frequency proceeds. When a beat note is observed with the .switch 8 in itsaudio position, the responseis reduced .to zero beat .by adzjusting-the'indicator disc Zilandthedisc is locked in place by the tightening .of the .locking screw 32. Withthe disc 20 locked themovable runner arm 30 is Sell, to zero position on the scale of the .fixed ring 33.

.The first or zero :beatnote determination involving the intercepted signal is obtained by taking the reading .while the audio amplifieris still .in use, .on the scales of the turns indicator 3'6, the'indicator disc 23 and the vernier.35.on the ring.33. Assuming thereading that is shown on the scalesinlilig. 2 13f the accompanyingdrawing to be an illustrative example, the .scale on the turns indicator .315 reads 20 atits hairline 31; the :scaleon the indicator .discZl! reads 48 at the zero. reference ofthe scale onthe ring 33; and the .ver-nier\35 on the ring 33 reads 5. These indications provide thereading 2048.5 ;for the illustrativedetermination.

The calibration chart dll is then referred .to forcompleting a first step in the determination of the frequency of the intercepted signal, where it is found that the determined beat .frequency dial :reading 2048.5 corresponds to a fundamentalfrequenc y of 128.63 megacycles per second. The frequency of theintercepted :signal, may be the fundamentallfrequency -128.63.megacyclesper secondoranylofthe harmonics thereof that are also :shown on :the chart .40.

.Thefirst step of the procedure that hasbeen described thus far .has :involved the process :of mixing the unknown radio frequency signal with signal from the local oscillator 4 and zero beating'thesettwofrequencies. against each other. The :zero :beat frequency that is so established 'is caused "by the fundamental frequency or a har-' monic frequency-of the local oscillator "4 beating againstthe sfrequency' of the unknown-signal.

In the next step of the present process the "amplifier switch 8 is caused to engage the contact that connects the mixer 3 with the intermediate-frequency amplifier l0. With the amplifier switch 8 so positioned, the zero beat frequency that has been established is fed into the intermediate-frequency amplifier stage H1. The movable runner arm 30 has been positioned previously in alignment with the zero reference position on the scale of the fixed ring 33. The rotatable disc 20 is then released from its locked condition by the counter-clockwise rotation of the locking screw 32. The disc 20 is then rotated clockwise and carries the runner arm 30 with it. During the movement of the disc 20 the visual indicator H is observed closely for a beat note response. A beat note response normally will be observed as the difference frequency beat of the mixer output coincides with the predetermined intermediate frequency. The system will preferably be arranged so that this beat note will take place within the first rotation of the disc 20 from the zero beat position. The beat note response that is observed on the visual indicator l l is noted by taking the reading of the runner arm hairline l 8 from the scale on the fixed ring 33. The number so noted is sought in line with the words "Dial shift reading on the calibration chart 4%] shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The number so noted indicates in the column thereabove in the chart 40 the particular harmonic of the local oscillator signal responsible for the beat note observed on the visual indicator ll.

For the purposes of discussion let it be assumed that the dial 20 has been rotated from its shown position until the hairline It on the runner arm 30 indicates 28 on the scale of the ring 33, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings wherein the dial 20 is not shown rotated but the runner 30 is. In such case, reading upwardly in the column footed by the numeral 28 on the chart 40 until we arrive at the reading that is in alignment with the previously determined beat note reading 2048.5, the number 257.26 is arrived at and, continuing upwardly of the same column, it is observed that the beat note that was located last utilized the second harmonic of the fundamental frequency of the local oscillator. The deduction therefore follows that the frequencies of the local oscillator 4 beating against the intercepted signal have a fundamental frequency of 128.63 megacycles per second, and that its second harmonic of 257.26 megacycles per second is the actual frequency of the signal that was intercepted by the receiving antenna l and passed therefrom to the mixer 3.

It will be observed in conclusion that the disclosed procedural method for determining the frequency of an intercepted signal of unknown frequency comprises a very few steps of easily performed manipulations followed by reference to a simple chart of pre-computed frequency values. The simplicity of the described method permits its delegation to workers who do not necessarily have the fundamental knowledge and skill that are required of operatives following the older, more established methods of frequency determin ations.

A modification of the dial portion of the present device that is shown in Fig. 2, is shown in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawing wherein corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals that are primed in Fig.

5 and are not primed in Fig. 2. Instead of the scale markings being equally spaced as on the ring 33 in Fig. 2, numbers 1, 2, 3, etc. on ring 33 in Fig. 5 are spaced from the zero reference clockwise by angles proportional to their reciprocals and equal to the angular displacements of dial 20 and adjustable index l8 necessary, at the frequency ranges of the fundamental or harmonic identified by the numbers, to produce the change from zero beat to the predetermined intermediate frequency beat.

In the dial modification that is shown in Fig. 5, the frequency calibration must be substantially linear. In the scale calibrations on the fixed ring 33' if the numeral 1 is at an angle of 270 with respect to the zero position; the numeral 2 is at an angle of 270/2 or 135 with respect to the zero position; the numeral 3 is at an angle of 270/3 or with respect to the zero position; etc. With this adaptation the dial shift readings comparable to those shown in the bottom line of the chart illustrated in Fig. 4 would not vary from page to page of the calibration book but would be repetitions on the succeeding pages of the book. With this modification the harmonic numbers are applied directly on the scale of the dial 33' and may be read directly therefrom. The remaining parts of the dial assembly that is shown in Fig. 5 substantially conform in operation and use with the corresponding parts that are indicated by corresponding unprimed numerals in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

An illustrative graph of determinations that have been compiled from experimental records using a heterodyne frequency meter having a fundamental frequency range of from 85 to 200 megacycles for supplying hypothetical intercepted signals is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The harmonic ranges of the heterodyne frequency meter are n times 85 to 200 megacycle range where 1:. includes the small integers 2, 3, 4, 5 etc.

The curves that are shown in Fig. 6 indicate that for a given intermediate frequency A of one megacycle, a dial shift B that is inversely proportional to the harmonic number is required. In the graph that is shown in Fig. 6, both the frequency increment and the dial increment are shown enlarged 50 times for purposes of clarity of presentation. As set forth on the graph that is shown in Fig. 6, the value A is in magacycles and the value B is 44 units on the scale of the indicator disc 20 or is of one revolution thereof for a signal within the fundamental range. The value B also is 44/17. units on the scale of the disc 20 where n is a higher order of harmonic. The use of the vernier 35 provides means for obtaining a least count of /10010 of one turn of the disc 20. This provides a least count of 0.0023 megacycle or 2.3 kilocycles on the fundamental and n times this value on the harmonics.

The device and the method for the determination of the frequency of an intercepted unknown radio signal that are disclosed and described herein have been submitted for the purposes of illustrating and describing a suitable illustrative embodiment of and a method for practicing the present invention and limited modifications and changes that provide satisfactory comparable results may be made therein without departing from the present invention as defined by the appended 75 claims.

' *What'itzlaimis: t

1. device for determiningthe:frequency-band containing an incoming radio ::signal comprising a local oscillator 'producing :a fundamental 'and a plurality of harmonic :bands 'of frequencies, a mixer :for combining the output frequencies of said oscillator with the incoming signal, means responsive to tcertain beat frequencies produced by said mixer, means having a substantially straight line frequency calibrationfor tuning said local oscillator including dial means adjustable to acfirst setting toproduceia zerobeat response and-adjustable to a-second'setting to produce a predetermined intermediate frequency beat response, and calibrations on:said dial-means relativetolthe difference between the first and second clial settings to identify the fundamental for harmonic band causing the beats.

12. .-A devicefor determining thefrequency band containing .anincoming radio signal comprising allocal oscillator producing a fundamental and aplurality ofharmonic bandsof frequencies, a mixer for combining the output frequencies of said oscillatorwith the incoming signal, means responsive to the beat frequencies produced by said mixer, means havinga substantially straight line frequency calibration for tuning said local oscillator including dial 'means adjustable to a first'setting-toproduce a first predetermined frequency'beat responseand adjustable to a second setting to producea second predetermined frequency beat response, and index numbersonsaid dial means placed relative to the difference betweenthefirst and second'dial settings to identify the fundamental or :harmonic band causing the beats.

13. A method of: determining the frequency band containing an incoming radio-signal which comprises: generating P2, local signal having a'sfundamental and :a plurality -of .harmonic bands rof frequencies, mixing "the .local signal with the incoming signal, adjusting said frequencies of the locallsignal until'the frequency of one band produces a 'zero beat "with the incoming signal, varying the frequencies of the local signal until the frequencyof said one band produces'a predetermined intermediate frequency beat with the incoming signal, whereby the local signal variation between said beatsidentifies said oneband producing the beats.

4. A method of determining the frequency band containing'an incoming-radio signal which comprises: generating a=local signal having a fundamental and a plurality of harmonic bands of frequenciesmixing the local signal with the incoming signal, adjusting said frequencies of the local signal untilthefrequency of one band produces arfirst predetermined frequency beat with the incoming signal, varying .the frequencies of the local signal until thefrequency .of said one bandproduces a second predetermined frequency beat with the incoming-signal, whereby 'therlocal signal variation between said-beats identifies said one band producing the beats.

HENRY H. GRIMM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PJA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 1,934,879 Potter 'Nov. 14, 1933 2,131,559 Granger Sept. 27, 1 938 2,245,717 Roberts June 17,1941 

